Ex-police officer allegedly offered money to witness in son's case

WEBSTER — In what police say was an attempt to keep a witness from testifying against his son, a retired police officer is accused of trying to return money to a man whom his son had allegedly mugged.

David J. Nicholopoulos, 57, of 43 Hillside Ave., was ordered held on $5,000 bail Thursday in Dudley District Court. He was charged with interfering with a witness, conspiracy and knowingly receiving stolen property.

Police said they found the alleged beating victim Aug. 6 on Wall Street. They said he told them two men had assaulted him and had stolen his watch, gold chain and keys to his vehicle.

Trent D. Nicholopoulos, 23, was identified as an assailant, said police. Police charged him with assault to commit a felony, unarmed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

The son, who lives with his father, was out on bail on an unrelated armed robbery charge at the time of his arrest, police said.

When detectives interviewed the victim, they learned the suspects also had stolen a substantial amount of money from him, police said.

The elder Nicholopoulos allegedly contacted the suspect on behalf of his jailed son. He met with the victim to repay some of the money in exchange for the victim telling the court he could not identify his assailants, police said.

With a warrant Wednesday, police seized evidence at the Nicholopoulos' home and arrested the father.

Police said the case is ongoing.

A woman who answered the door Thursday evening at the Nicholopoulos' home said she did not know if David Nicholopoulos had posted bail, nor when he could be expected home.

David and Trent Nicholopoulos have been arrested before.

A month-long investigation resulted in a September 2010 search of their then-Lake Street apartment during which five grams of crack cocaine and two bags of marijuana were allegedly seized.

Trent Nicholopoulos, a target of the search, was returning home during the raid but evaded apprehension. When he noticed police, he allegedly got into a Jeep Cherokee and fled the wrong way down the one-way Whitcomb Street as officers ordered him to stop, police said.

Both men were arrested twice in June and August 2009 for allegedly trying to sell marijuana.

On Jan. 13, 2012, Trent Nicholopoulos was charged in the robbery of a diamond engagement ring from a woman and her boyfriend at the McDonald's restaurant on East Main Street.

Earlier this year, a judge found improper manipulative police tactics were used by two Webster detectives while questioning Trent Nicholopoulos. The judge precluded prosecutors from using the man's incriminating statements as evidence against him at trial.

A co-defendant was sentenced to 3 to 5 years in state prison on July 3, 2012, after pleading guilty to armed robbery.